British Academy: The UK's National Academy for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Autism, Ethics and the Good Life

9.30am - 6.00pm followed by a reception

Monday 2 April, World Autism Day

Venue: The Royal Society 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG

Autism is a lifelong developmental condition which affects a person’s ability to relate to and communicate with others. The widespread public perception of autism as defined by these wholly negative attributes has been challenged by some members of the autism community in the light of the richness and value they claim as part of an autistic life. This conference explores the question of what a good life for those on the autism spectrum and their families would look like, and considers how accounts of autistic flourishing should inform education, service design and delivery and public policy. Contributions to this debate come from philosophers, scientists and educationists, many of whom are parents of people with autism. Importantly the discussion about what constitutes a good autistic life is informed here by the sometimes different and opposing views of those with autism and their families.

Convenors:
Pat Walsh, Centre of Medical Law and Ethics, King’s College London
Professor Francesca Happé, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London

Speakers include:
Professor Richard Ashcroft, Queen Mary, University of London
Sandy Starr, Progress Educational Trust
Virginia Bovell, ETHOX, University of Oxford
Professor Eva Feder Kittay, Stonybrook University, New York
Dr Jackie Leach Scully, Policy, Ethics and Life Sciences Research Centre, University of Newcastle
Professor Mike Parker, ETHOX, University of Oxford
Professor Stuart Murray, University of Leeds
Dr Liz Pellicano, Centre for Research in Autism and Education, Institute of Education, London

The conference programme is available here.

We are pleased to announce that this conference has now been relocated to the Royal Society 6-9 Carlton House Terrace London SW1Y 5AG.  We have received a large number of requests for places which has exceeded the seating capacity of the Academy's Auditorium.   The conference will now be held in the Wellcome Trust Lecture Theatre at the Royal Society.

If you have not already done so and would now like to to attend this conference please click here to register via the British Academy's online services area.

There are subsidies of £100 per person for 5 persons with ASD and a support worker for each. Applications for these subsidies should be sent to:

Pat Walsh
Centre of Medical Law and Ethics
School of Law
King's College London
Strand
London
WC2R 2LS
 
Phone: 020 7848 1140

Arranged in association with The Centre of Medical Law and Ethics, part of The School of Law at King’s College London.